The type of surfaces over which a vehicle is ridden significantly affects its capacity and efficiency.
While the riding behavior is one of the most important aspects involved in the concept of a vehicle, the ability to allow interchangeability of parts or to retrofit new components on existing vehicles greatly satisfies the owner of vehicles and represents an interesting market source for vendors of specialized parts destined to vehicles such as snowmobiles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), tractors, trucks, etc.
Specialized parts for those vehicles include kits which may develop the vehicle's capacity to accomplish other functions, to extend its duration of use throughout the seasons or to allow the use of the vehicle under different riding conditions.
For instance, different riding kits are sometimes installed to replace the wheels of existing vehicles. In principle, the kits should minimize the need to change existing components, must be able to fit on the vehicle without interference and should try to minimize any negative change to the overall riding behavior of the vehicle and comfort of the driver.
However, since most vehicles are initially designed for a typical use on a specific ground surface, some vehicle parameters like steering, weight distribution or general stability may be affected by different vehicle uses combined with other components such as different riding kits. For example, a better riding behavior on snow usually requires less weight applied to ski assemblies (usually located at the forward portion of the vehicle) than for a regular vehicle riding on another ground surface.
Numerous traction kits have been proposed throughout the years. In “Wheel Mount Track Conversion Assembly” (U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,210 issued on Mar. 4, 1997), Brazier proposes a traction kits to replace the wheels of wheeled vehicles. His system further comprises an anti-torque system that prevents the kit from contacting the vehicle. Though it can be easily mounted on a wheeled vehicle, the system of Brazier does not include particular means to allow a better weight distribution or a better maneuverability of the kit equipped vehicle. Moreover, the traction kit of Brazier can only pivot around the axle axis.
In “Conversion System for All Terrain Vehicles” (U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,275 issued on Aug. 1, 2000), Shaw proposes an ATV equipped with conversion kits such as ski assemblies and traction assemblies to replace existing wheels. Although adapting to the existing power system, the conversion system does not provide adjustability means for the weight distribution of the vehicle, such that the ATV's weight is dispersed to the ground surface through the traction and ski assemblies. Also, as for Brazier, the traction kit of Shaw can only pivot around the axis of the axle.
The problem with these particular arrangements is that in order to follow the bumps and depressions of the terrain over which the vehicle is ridden, the traction kit needs to pivot around the axis of the axle, which implies unnecessary large movements of the traction kit. These large movements are translated into an uncomfortable ride for the user. Furthermore, these traction kits generally need means to prevent any contact between the traction assembly and the body of the vehicle. These means generally add to the weight and cost of the assembly.
There is therefore a need for a traction assembly which improves riding condition when traction assemblies are used to replace existing wheels on vehicles.